Regional Network for Conservation and Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources in East Asia (EA-PGR)

EA-PGR in brief The Regional Network for Conservation and Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources in East Asia (EA-PGR) was established in 1991 during the IBPGR Workshop on Underutilized Crop Genetic Resources of East Asia, held in Beijing, China. The framework of the network was formulated at its second meeting held in the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China on 23-25 September 1994. The members of EA-PGR include China, Japan, Republic of Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and Mongolia. IPGRI Office for East Asia services as the Interim Secretariat of the network and maintains close contacts with the national coordinators identified by member countries. The network held the third meeting in Suwon, Republic of Korea on 14-16 September 1998 and the fourth meeting in Mongolian State University of Agriculture, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia on 13-16 August 2001. Goals and objectives History Priorities Activities Publications List of members Goals and Objectives Goal To improve conservation and use of the region’s plant genetic resources through information exchange and collaborative activities that are of common interest to member countries. Objectives  To promote documentation and information management in the region. To promote germplasm and information sharing among member countries. To strengthen the national programmes on PGR by providing advice and training opportunities. To coordinate research activities and avoid duplication of efforts in the region. To implement a cooperative programme with common interests. To improve conservation and use of PGR in the region. top History First meeting  The first meeting, IBPGR Workshop on Underutilized Crop Genetic Resources of East Asia, held in 1991 in Beijing, China with special project funding from the government of Japan to IBPGR. Information on national programmes for PGR in member countries was exchanged. Common priority on underutilized crops were identified, e.g. buckwheat, small fruit trees and millets (Zhou, 1992). Second meeting The second meeting was held in the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science (CAAS), Beijing, China on 23-25 September 1994. The recommendations of the meeting stressed on safe conservation and effective use of plant genetic resources in the region. At this meeting, participants strongly suggested forming a network for East Asia named the Regional Network for Conservation and Utilization of PGR in East Asia (EA-PGR) (Zhou et al., 1995). Third meeting The third meeting was held in Suwon, Republic of Korea on 16-18 September 1998 to assess the progress of activities of the Network and to identify priority areas and species for developing cooperation among the member countries. The outcome of the meeting recommended priorities in networking and information exchange, in situ management and genetic diversity study (Zhou et al., 1999).  Fourth meeting The fourth meeting was held in the Mongolian State University of Agriculture, Ulaabaatar, Mongolia on 13-16 August 2001. Participants from five member countries and IPGRI-APO attended the meeting. The meeting reviewed the progress of PGR activities in respective countries and developed a 3-year action plan with focus on documentation, in vitro conservation, and germplasm exchange (Zhang et. al., 2002) Priorities Networking and information exchange Development of the Regional PGR directory on the Internet based on the agreed NP descriptors, and provide linkages to the home pages of relevant institutes in member countries. Crop networks developed based on the priority list developed during 1998 meeting Exchange of information on ex situ management of germplasm, especially in germplasm seed regeneration activities that were identified as a priority area to work on for all countries in EA-PGR. Develop an "Accession Management Monitoring System" by providing management data from country member genebanks to IPGRI-APO, which will look after the activity. Develop minimum descriptor lists for priority crops to promote exchange of germplasm and associated information. Develop methods for duplicate identification to rationalize collections and to efficiently manage them. Develop a poster for each country to inform the public about the importance of germplasm exchange for food security and development in the region. In situ management Identify farming areas, which retain a high diversity of crop landraces that could be used to understand on-farm management of diversity. Develop public awareness activities for in situ management of germplasm. This is to keep respective policy makers and ministries informed on the importance of rare species conservation. Genetic diversity Conduct studies to determine effective ways to use molecular methods to characterize  germplasm and understand genetic diversity will be carried out involving exchange of material, information and researchers. A joint study of sets of germplasm of adzuki beans, rice and buckwheat from each member country will be carried out to better understand the structure of diversity and adaptation of crops originating from East Asia. top Activities carried out in EA-PGR countries A workshop on Buckwheat Genetic Resources in East Asia was held at the National Institute of Agrobiological Resources, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery (MAFF), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan, 18-20 September, 1991. The 5th International Symposium on Buckwheat was held at Taiyuan, Shanxi Province in China. A technical training course on conservation and use of PGR was held in Pyongyang, DPR Korea in 1992 Emergency collecting on forage and food crops in Mongolia in 1993-1994 was undertaken by the Plant Science and Agricultural Research Institute and Animal Husbandry. A total of 104 seed samples belonging to 63 species, 40 genera were collected. In 1995, the Pyongyang Crop Genetic Resources Institute, DPR Korea collected genetic resources of food crops and legumes, which were eroding at a fast rate. A total of 251 accessions of 24 crops including vegetables were collected from western coastal, eastern coastal, northern and central mountainous area. A sub-regional meeting on PGR for East Asia was held in Beijing, China on 24-26 July 1995, organized by FAO with assistance from IPGRI-EA. The first Mongolian National PGR Workshop was held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia on 26-29 September 1995. Needs and priorities of the national programme in Mongolia were identified. A national training course on PGR documentation and management was held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia on 25-30 June 1997. The GMS software has enabled the Mongolian genebank to document PGR conservation activities. A national training course on PGR documentation and management was held in Pyongyang, DPR Korea on 16-23 September 1999. The relevant staff from a broad range of institutes were trained for using GMS, and other useful documentation tools. Analysis of genetic diversity in adzuki bean in East Asia in 1999 jointly among member countries. A programme on Genebank Management Monitor is under preparation in ICGR-CAAS, China.  China National Workshop on Conservation and Use of PGR was held in 1999 in Beijing with IPGRI support. Strategies and action plan for Chinese national programmes were recommended and developed.   Collecting, characterization and evaluation of millets in Mongolia and DPR Korea is being carried out by Plant Science and Agricultural Research Institute, Mongolia and Pyongyang Crop Genetic Resources Institute, DPR Korea respectively with IPGRI support.   Activities planned for the next 2-3 years during the 4th Meeting In the 4th EA-PGR meeting during 13-16 August 2001, the network members agreed to carry out the following activities, in addition to completing the most of the ongoing activities as listed above. Development and implementation of in vitro conservation methods for vegetatively propagated crop genetic resources in East Asia Adzuki bean germplasm exchange Joint germplasm collecting ¨ Black-box storage in Japan and China National Genebank Documentation, Public awareness  Forest genetic resources: To identify national partners for forest genetic resources activities Individual leaders for each of the above have been identified who will be developing the proposals for action. top Publications   Zhou Ming-De (ed). 1992. Less utilized crop genetic resources of East Asia. Pp in Proceedings of IBPGR Workshop on Less Utilized Crop Genetic Resources of East Asia, 25-26 April 1991, Beijing, China. IBPGR, Beijing, China. Ramanatha Rao, V., K.W. Riley, Zhang Zongwen and Zhou Ming-De. 1995. Proceedings of East Asia Coordinators Meeting on Plant Genetic Resources, 23-25 September 1994, Beijing, China. IPGRI Office for East Asia, Beijing, China. Zhou, M., Z. Zhang and V. Ramanatha Rao, editors. 1999. Conservation and use of plant genetic resources in East Asia. Proceedings of the Meeting of the Regional Network for Conservation and Use of Plant Genetic Resources in East Asia, 14-16 September 1998, Suwon, Republic of Korea. IPGRI Office for East Asia, Beijing China. Zhang Z., M. Zhou and V. Ramanatha Rao. 2002. Plant Genetic Resources Network in East Asia. Proceedings of the Meeting for the Regional Network for Conservation and Use of Plant Genetic Resources in East Asia, 13 – 16 August 2001, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. IPGRI Office for East Asia, Beijing, China top List of members/representatives Dr Wang Shumin Deputy Director Institute of Crop Germplasm Resources Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences 12 Zhongguancun Nandajie, Beijing 100081, China Tel: 86-10-62186628 Fax: 86-10-62186629 E-mail: smwang@mail.caas.net.cn  Dr N. Altansukh President Mongolian Academy of Agricultural Sciences Zaisan-210153, Ulaanbaartar, Mongolia Tel: 976-1-341377 Fax: 976-1-341770 E-mail: infotech@magicnet.mn  Dr Ju Yong Bong Pyongyang Crop Genetic Resources Institute Duryu Dong, Sadong District, Pyongyang DPR Korea Fax: 850-2-3812100 Dr Eun-Gi Cho Director Genetic Resources Division National Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology(NIAB), Rural Development Administration 225, seodundong, kweonsungu, Suwon, 441-707. Republic of Korea Tel : 82-31-299-1801 Fax : 82-31-294-6029 E-mail: e.cho@rda.go.kr  Dr Okuno, Kazutoshi Genebank Director National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences 2-1-2, Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305, Japan Tel: 81-29-838-7930 Fax: 81-29-838-7408 E-mail: oksan@affrc.go.jp  Interim Secretariat International Plant Genetic Resources Institute Office for East Asia c/o CAAS, 12 Zhongguancun Nandajie Beijing 100081, China Tel: (8610) 62183744 Fax: (8610) 68975192 Email: ipgri-caas@cgiar.org Person to contact Dr. Zhang Zongwen Email: Z.Zhang@cgiar.org   top